The multi-purpose junior was upset that he kept losing his footing during the first half of Academy Park's monumental, 49-26 Del Val League-clinching victory over Interboro at South Avenue Athletic Complex Friday night.

How is that possible when his team jumped on Interboro from the get-go and took a 29-point lead into halftime?

Needless to say, after the game was over, his teammates probably couldn't care less. Devaughn was one of several Knights who made big contributions Friday night. Devaughn had one touchdown reception and a running score for the Knights, totaling 97 yards from the line of scrimmage. He also had an interception of Interboro quarterback Nick Rentos to seal the Knights' history-making win.

Academy Park hadn't defeated Interboro since the 1994 season. Eighteen years of frustration, down the drain.

The Knights captured their first outright Del Val League title since the 1982 campaign, when they finished the season undefeated.

"I'm happy as can be. We all are," Devaughn said. "We were tired of losing to Interboro. We came out and played hard and got the job done. We did a great job in that first half."

It didn't start so great. The Bucs started the game by marching 80 yards down the field on 12 plays, capped by an Austin Quiah's rushing touchdown. The Knights were fired up, but quickly found themselves in an early hole.

The deficit didn't last long.

Hakim Whitaker took the ensuing kickoff to the Interboro 30-yard line. Four plays later, the Knights (9-1, 5-0) were in the end zone, as Brian Ingram hauled in the first of four touchdown passes from senior quarterback Tyler Street, who was 11 of 18 for 222 yards. The Knights scored 36 consecutive points in the first half.

On Interboro's next possession, Academy Park came up with a momentum-changing stop on fourth-and-short.

The Knights pummeled the Bucs in the first half, using their spread offense to perfection. They found pay dirt on five drives. Devaughn's 25-yard reception, plus a run for the two-pointer, put the Knights ahead for good, 14-7, with 1:23 left in the first quarter.

The Bucs (8-2, 4-1) lost, 41-0, to Episcopal Academy in Week 1 facing the same type of offense. At practice this week, some of the Interboro players expressed concerns about matching up with AP's skill players, notably running back Jerry Lanier, who tortured the Bucs for 122 yards rushing on 22 carries.

"They came out ready to play and wanted the championship," said Rentos, who completed 16 of 28 pass attempts for 225 yards. "We came out dead, and that's what happens. We got a little too excited after driving down the field 80 yards. They had a great kick return off the first drive and just settled in from there.

"When you go down (29) points in the first half, there's not much you can do in the second half. I'm proud of my team. We kept trying and we didn't stop fighting. We have a (District One Class AAA) playoff game this week, so now we're going to focus on the next championship."

Academy Park locked up the No. 2 seed in the district playoffs and next week plays its first home playoff game in school history. Interboro is likely to host a first-round game, as well, as either the third or fourth seed

The Bucs played the second half with renewed energy and got within two touchdowns of tying things up, but the Knights had an answer for everything. Rashon Fentress had eight of his game-high nine catches in the second half. The senior tight end totaled 166 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The biggest concern for the Knights was avoiding pitfalls that have plagued them in previous meetings against the Bucs. After an inspired first half, they knew they couldn't afford a letdown. Mike Warren made sure of it. The 5-11, 210-pound tackle had a sack and multiple quarterback pressures for the Knights, who as a team registered four sacks.

"My favorite role model is Osi Umenyiora," Warren said. "I thought I played somewhat like him tonight. You know, the one in the Super Bowl and not the one who is lazy and gets hurt and plays around."

That was Warren's way of saying he was going to have the game of his life. And he did.

"We have gotten dominated by them every single year. Vo would call it 'Buc Week' and everybody would get fired up, but we would melt down all the time in the second half. Frustration, mistakes, everything," Warren said. "But this year, I knew something was different. Our senior year ... we got tired of it. It was our turn to dominate. So, in the summer we came into the weight room and pushed it up a notch, worked extra hard in practice. We don't get much respect around (the county) but hopefully now we will."